PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — The Clark County Sheriff’s Office announced Thursday that Deputy John Feller will not be charged for shooting and killing off-duty Vancouver Police Officer Donald Sahota.
The Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys reviewed the incident, which involved Sahota’s run-in with a burglary suspect in January of last year — Feller claims to have shot Sahota thinking he was an armed suspect.
The Clark County prosecuting attorney requested a review involving the Washington Association of Prosecuting Attorneys, but the group of experts was split on whether Feller should be charged.
The decision then fell to the prosecuting attorney, Tony Golik, who told CCSO in a letter that he would not be pursuing charges.
In audio released months after the incident, Deputy Feller is emotional as he talks about the moment he shot who he believed to be the suspect who was at Sahota’s home, later identified as Julio Segura.
“Somebody yelled, ‘that’s the suspect’ — something to that effect — ‘that’s the suspect,'” recalled Feller. “That’s when I realized I haven’t shot the suspect. I’ve shot the homeowner who was an off-duty law enforcement officer.”
Video released of the exchange shows a figure identified as Segura, running in the house, as Ofc. Sahota then grabbed his gun to go after him at the same time Deputy Feller arrived at the scene, believing the person running in to be the suspect, as he opened fire.
“I believed if that person got in the house, they would kill them,” said Feller.